Type font holding device



Dec. 4, 1962 W. K. MUNSON TYPE FONT HOLDING DEVICE Filed April 13, 1960 KIIIJ JLUA IIII L NH 1 Jill mum;

L 'IIIIIIXIIIII 4 INVENTOR.

WH/ TNEY K. Ml/NSON HTTORNEY 3,066,604 Patented Dec. 4, 1962 ice 3,066,604 TYPE FONT HGLDING DEVICE Whitney K. Manson, P1). Box 312, Red Bank, NJ. Filed Apr. 13, 19%, Set. No. 22,037 3 Claims. (Cl. 101-331) This invention relates to devices for holding or supporting the various type characters in a font of type to retain the characters against displacement from the holder :while, at the same time, facilitating quick attachment and detachment of each type character with respect to the holder. More particularly, the invention deals with a device of the character described, having a plurality of elongated apertures in one wall of the device, in which the type characters are adapted to be arranged and the device having inwardly of said apertured wall a relatively thick body of yieldable friction material normally protruding inwardly beyond opposed edges of the walls of said aperture in defining channels narrower than the apertures to establish frictional gripping engagement with the type characters arranged therein.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a type font holding device, with parts of the construction broken away and in section and diagrammatically indicating portions only of the type characters arranged in apertures of the device.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section on the line 2,2 of FIG. 1, diagrammatically illustrating in side elevation one of the type characters in gripped or supported position in the device.

FIG. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, omitting the type characters and showing the frictional gripper body of the device in its normal position; and

FIG. 4 is a view, generally similar to FIG. 2, omitting part of the construction and showing a modified type of element supported in the device.

Considering FIG. 1 of the drawing, represents a holding device, which comprises generally an outer or top plate, wall or sheet 11, a bottom plate, wall or sheet 12, these plates being preferably secured to a bordering frame, indicated, in part, in section in FIG. 1 of the drawing at 13, the frame in FIG. 1 being oblong and rectangular in form. However, it will be understood that the contour of a frame, when employed, as well as the peripheral contour of the plates 11 and 12, can be of any shape or form.

Arranged between and suitably secured to the plates 11 and 12 is a relatively thick body 14 of any suitable yieldable frictional material. In illustrating one adaptation and use, the body 14 can be composed of a relatively compact foam rubber and, in some uses of the device, the plates 11 and 12 can be composed of plastics, sheet aluminum or other metals or, in some instances, sheets of any other material. In the present illustration, the plates are indicated as composed of plastic; whereas, the frame 13 can be composed of materials other than plastic.

The top plate or wall 11 has spaced thereon a plurality of elongated apertures 15, any number of which can be employed and three of which are shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing. These apertures extend longitudinally of the plate 11 and terminate short of the ends 16 of the plate, as indicated by the end portions of the device, as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing. These ends and sides of the plate 11, as well as the plate 12, overlie the frame 13 and are cemented or otherwise secured thereto, as will clearly appear from the showing in FIG. 2 of the drawing. The frame 13 confines the body 14 within the two plates 11 and 12. The top plate, in some uses of the device and, particularly when this plate is composed of plastic material, can be relatively thin and free to yield inwardly to a slight extent, in which operation the body 14 is compressed.

In illustrating one adaptation and use of my improved device, I have indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing the mounting of type characters 17 in the apertures 15 of the plate 11. The device would be desired to support a complete font of type and, in FIG. 1, portions of the font are illustrated in spaced relationship in the several apertures in order to simplify the showing. Some of these type characters are not necessarily type, but could be larger than others and have other characterizations thereon, as indicated by the wider elements 17" at the lower righthand corner of FIG. 1 of the drawing.

The body 14 has a series of elongated channels or apertures 18 formed therein which register with the apertures 15. However, the spacing between opposed walls 19 of the apertures 18 is closer than the spacing between the opposed side walls 20 of the apertures 15, as will clearly appear from a consideration of FIG. 3 of the drawing. The spacing of the walls 20 is preferably slightly greater than the spacing between side walls 21 of the characters 17, 17, so that these characters will pass freely into the apertures 15 and, in this operation, the yieldable walls 19 are flexed outwardly and placed under gripping tension on the Walls 21 to frictionally and securely grip each of the characters 17 to retain the same against displacement from the apertures 15 or the device as a whole. By virtue of this engagement, I have found that each character 17, even when these characters are arranged in abutting engagement with each other, as indicated in the few groups of characters shown in FIG. 1, will permit removal of the single character without disturbing or dis placing the adjacent characters. In other words, the frictional engagement of the walls 19 with each of the characters is materially greater than friction that may prevail between adjacent abutting surfaces of the characters 17. In this way, the font of type is kept in a neat and proper arrangement at all times and removed type characters can be replaced in the space previously occupied thereby Without objectionably disturbing adjacent characters.

In the foregoing, my improved device has been associated primarily with the holding of type characters. However, it will be understood that devices of this kind can be utilized for numerous other purposes; for example, in supporting an element 22, note FIG. 4, the outer surface 23 of which may have any suitable characterizations thereon in creating signs or displays of any kind.

In order to produce a third dimensional effect, it is preferred that the element 22 has a shoulder portion 24 adapted to seat upon the plate or wall 11', similar to the plate or wall 11, the element including a reduced shank portion 25, which is slightly smaller in transverse dimension than the aperture 15, similar to the aperture 15, to pass freely through the aperture 15' and, yet, establish frictional and gripping engagement with opposed walls 19', similar to the walls 19 which are in a body 14, simil-ar to the body 14.

Returning for a moment to the showing in FIG. 2 of the drawing, it will appear that the type character end 26 of the element 17 is adapted to seat upon the inner surface of the plate or wall 12; thus checking inward or downward movement of the element 17. However, in FIG. 4 of the drawing, it will appear that the lower end 27 of the element 22 terminates short of the bottom plate or wall 12, inward movement of the element 22 being checked by the enlarged or shoulder portion 24.

With the construction shown in FIG. 4 and by virtue of olfsetting the outer characterized portion 23 of the element 22 from the surface of the plate or wall 11, the elements 22 can be quickly and easily attached and detached as and when it is desirable to change or modify a sign or display of any kind.

For purposes of description, the opposed walls 19, 19 which protrude into the areas defined by the apertures 15, 15' may be said to define yieldable gripper portions of the body, 14, 14'.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A type font holding device comprising a rectangular frame, upper and lower plates secured to said frame, a body of yieldable material arranged within the frame and entirely between said plates, the upper plate having a plurality of spaced elongated apertures, the apertures in said upper plate having longitudinally continuous parallel side walls, said body having elongated apertures opening through upper and lower surfaces thereof and registering with the apertures in said top plate, opposed side walls of the body apertures being in closer proximity to each other than the spacing of the side walls of the apertures 1 in the top plate to form opposed yieldable gripper portions, and type elements for mounting in the device being of such transverse dimensions as to pass freely through the apertures in the top plate to yieldably and frictionally engage said gripper surfaces.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the bottom plate forms a closure for the body apertures, and said closure checking movement of type elements inserted in said device.

3. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the elements include means spacing the outer characterized portion of said elements from the outer surface of said top plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 639,496 Baker Dec. 19, 1899 766,337 Folger Aug. 2, 1904 1,190,497 Willard July 11, 1916 1,563,265 Dixon Nov. 24, 1925 1,739,110 Wheeler Dec. 10, 1929 1,788,665 Edgarton Jan. 13, 1931 

